Lumber drier



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u LUMBER DRIR Filed AugQw., 1920 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Oct. 6, 1925.

Nitro srA'rEs `PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. CRAIG, O'F NEW ORLIIAfllS,y LOUISIANA,KASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, F ONE-HALF T0 ALEXANDER T. LVICfJlTRI)IE.,y OF HATTIESBRG, MISSISSIPPI.

LUMBERk DRIER.

Application filed August 10, 1920. Serial No. 402,614.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that il, JAMES A.' CRAIG, a citizen of the United States, residing in New rleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and usel'ul improvements in Lumber Driers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention. relates to rotary air driers for drying lumber or other materials in natural air without the aid 'of'lieat or fans.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a machine of this kind in which the lumber may be revolved extremely rapidly so as to utilize centrifugal force and at the same time to compress the air to cause it to pass rapidly through the lumber stack without particularly changing the direction of the, air or causing any rpocketing thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of: this kind which may be driven at this very high rate of speed so as to be very eiective in operation, without the danger of collapse of ythe machine.

Another object of the invention'is to pro-r vide a machine oit the above described kind `wliich may be easily charged with lumber or other material with a minimum of. time and labor, and from which the lumber may be as easily removed after drying.

@ther objects oil the invention will appearA as the description proceeds; and while herein minute details ot the invention are disclosed, the invention is notv limited to these` since many and. various changes may 2--2 of Fig. l; i

Fig. 2a is a fragmental side elevationv showing means j for locking the lumber carrying arms in place;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation oi the drier;

Fig. l is a side elevation of a-gudgeon at the end of the supporting axle of theretor of the drier;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a detail show,

king a partition walloi the compressor for compressing the air in front of the lumber;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of a slidable lumber-spacing device.

My improved drier comprises a pair of foundations l() (Fig. l) each supporting a standard ll carrying a bearing l2 between which is disposed a squared wooden horizontal axle l5 provided at each end with a gudgeon lcomprising a horizontal stub shaft 16 (Fig. 4) rotatably mounted in each of said bearingsand provided at its inner end with a squared box 17 receiving the end of and supporting the axle 15. A protecting plate i8 is secure-d on opposite faces ofsaid axleand said box.

Pairs of L-shaped T-arms 20 are secured at intervals on said axle with their -angle ends 2ly (Fig. 2) engaging said plates and the inner ends of the main part of the arms placed againstthe side of the axle 15 so that the arms project in approximately radially opposite parallel directions. U-bolts 23 and 24'; pass through said plates and axle and engage said angle-ends and arms and clamp said arms in place.

Strain rods 25 (Fig. 3) Apivotally linked, as at 26, to each of said arms at the angle thereof are normallyadapted to be disposed parallel to and inthe direction of the adj acent arm of the same pair and have threaded outer ends. kA stud bolt 28 (Fig. 5) is mounted on the outery end of each of said arms even with said threaded outer end. Spacing pieces 30 6) provided with inwardly pointed forked ends 31 are adapted to slidably engage the flanges 32 of said T-arms 20 and are adapted to be placed between the individual pieces 34 (Fig. 3)

of lumber or other material horizontally disposed on the angle-ends 2l of said T- arms and with their edges disposed against the retreating faces of the anges 32 of the Ts'arms. p

Clamping yokes 35 received on the outer end of said bolts 28 and rods 25 are held in place by nuts 36 on said outer ends for causing said yokes to clamp said lumber against said angle ends 2l, thereby to hold the lumber in place.

Angle plates 39 (Fig.` l) secured on the endsfof said protecting plates 18 carry the lower ends offorwardly disposed side 'walls walls l5 connect and are secured to the outer ends'ofsaid side and partition walls thereby to form -with said side, partition yand vend walls a plurality of forwardly disposed boxshaped compressors constituting a yisoro': hood arranged forward of or at the side of said pile of'pieces 34, in the direction of rotation of said pieces, ythe purpose of which is to compress the air and cause it to pass adversely between the pieces 3%.

A drive pulley 47 `(Fig. l) on one stub shaftis driven by a motor A braking pulley 50km the otiier stub shaft is engaged by an intermediate lshoe :il carried on a hand lever 52 havingits inner end fulcrumed to the adjacent standard ll.

The operation of the drier is very simple. The nuts 36 are removed to permit the strain rods to be dropped down away from parallelism with the associated arm. The arm is then placed in some convenient angle either horizontal or vertical or at an intermediate position and the pieces of lumber placed in one by one, one of the spacing pieces being slipped down against .the piece of lumber each time, to hold the pieces of lumber in spaced relation as shown in Fig. V'Jhen one side ofthe device is completely filled so as to have the lumber extending from the angle end 2l of each arm to the outer end of the arm, the clamping yoke is put on and the nuts screwed up so as to clamp the lumber tightly against said angle-end. Then the other side of the drier is turned and filled in like manner.

Current is then turned on the motor and the whole of the rotary part of the drier is revolved forwardly in the direction of the arrow ofFig. 3, at a very high rate of speed, so that the centrifugal force acting upon the moisture contained in the lumber and the air compressed in the compressor and passing rapidly against and between the pieces of lumber very quickly dries out the lumber.

rlhe partitions al cut off separate portions of the 'compressors 'from each other so that they may function independently. TJnder any circumstances, the ends of the lumber tend to dry first; and if because of uneven lengths, the end compressors do not'compress the air as highly as the intermedite compressors, the functioning of theintermediate compressors will be in no way interfered with.

l have found b v careful tests that on filling the drier with wet green lujn'iber from the pond and saw and running one mile a minute for a predetermined period, say sixty minutes, all the free Water in the pores, nearly one pound per foot, came out. Then on taking the lumber out and piling it up in the open, the cell walls were still saturated with about the same amount which was in the pores, but hard to get out. By the drie: it takes a predetermined period, say four more hours to get the saturated cell-wall moisture entirely out, but by piling it. it comes out of itself at the rate of four to six ounces per foot each day, so that, in one week the lumber is bone dry and ready to ship for dry lumber and is several hundred pounds lighter per thousand feet than kiln or air dried' lumber.

Most firms now use the system of heat and fans. This takes sin .days and six nights to get out one pound per foot; and tolget it entirely bone dry as in my process requires from twelve to sixteen days. Ali drying in the open takes six monthsi and h eat or hot air is very expensive. There is six per cent insurance dierence between the other methods and mine, which is favorable to mine.

Having' thus described my invention, l claim:

l. ln a drier, a rotatable shaft; a carrier rotatable with said shaft and adapted for retaining therein for rotating therewith piles of spaced pieces of lumber; and air coinpressors open'forwardly and rearwardlyand supported forwardly of the forward planes of said piles in close proxin'iity to the faces of the piles and rotatable with said carrier for forcing air directly through the spaces of the piles.

2. In a drier. a rotatable shaft; a car- .rier rotatable with said shaft and adapted for retaining therein for rotation therewith piles of spaced pieces of lumber; and air compressors open forwardly and rearwardly and supported forwardly of the forward planes of said piles in close proximity to the faces of the piles and rotatable with said carrier for forcing air directly through the spaces of the piles, the compressors being divided into separate air compressing compartments.

3. In a drier, a rotatable shaft; a carrier rotatable with said shaft and adapted for retaining therein for rotation therewith piles of spaced pieces of lumber; and boxform air .compressors open forwardly and rearwardly and supported forwardly of the forward planes of said piles in close proximity to the faces yof the piles and'rot-atable with said carrier for forcing air directly through the spaces of the piles. I Y

e. In a drier, a rotatable shaft; a "carrier rotatable with said shaft and adapted for retaining therein for rotation therewithpiles of spaced pieces of lumber; and box-form air compressors open forwardlyand rearlOO lili) wardly and supported forwardly of the for ward planes of said piles in close proximity to the faces of the piles and rotatable with said carrier for forcing air directly through the spaces of the piles, the compressors being divided into separate air compressing compartments.

5. In a drier, a rotatable shaft; a carrier rotatable with said shaft and adapted for retaining therein for rotation therewith piles of spaced pieces of lumber, the spaces between the pieces being parallel to said shaft; and box-form air compressors open forwardly and rearwardly' and supported forwardly of the forward planes of said piles in closeproximity to the faces of the piles Aand rotatable with said carrier for forcing air directly through the spaces ofthe piles, the compressors having longitudinal parti.- tions for dividing them into separate yair compressing compartments.

6. In a drier, a rotatable shaft; a carrier rotatable with saidvshaft and adapted for retaining therein for rotation therewith piles of spaced pieces of lumber, operably controlled means for rotating said shaft; and means for stopping the continued rotation of said shaft and carrier after said means for rotating is stopped.y

7. In a drier, a rotatable shaft; a carrier rotatable with said shaft and adapted for retaining therein for rotation therewith piles of spaced pieces of lumber; box-form air compressors open forwardly and rearwardly and supported forwardly ofthe forward planes of said piles in close proximity to the faces of the piles and rotatable with said carrier for forcing air directly through the spaces of the piles; operably controlled means for rotating said shaft; and brake means for stopping the continued rotation of said shaft after said means for rotating is stopped.

8. ln combination, a horizontal rotary axle: approximately radial arms secured to said axle; and means forsecurmg a pileV of spaced pieces of lumber against side walls secured to said axle just forward of they plane of said pieces; and a forwardly and rearwardly open forwardly disposed boxshaped compressor box secured forward of said pile.

9.111 combination, a horizontal rotary axle; opposite approximately radial arms secured to said axle; means for securing a pile of spaced pieces of lumber against the rear face of said arms; side walls secured to said axle just forward of the plane of said pieces; and forwardly disposed outer and inner walls secured to and connecting the outer ends and the inner ends respectively of said side walls and forming a forwardly and rearwardly open forwardly disposed box-shaped compressor box forward of said pile.

10. In a drier, means for revolving a radially disposed pile of pieces of material; and a forwardly disposed forwardly open compressor' secured forward of said pile and comprising separat-ed compartments.

ll. In a drier, means for rapidly n'loving a pile of pieces of material; and a forwardly disposed compressor secured fornrard of said pile andL comprising compartments side. by side.

l2. ln a drier, means for revolving a radially disposed pile of pieces of material; forwardly disposed partition walls secured forward of said pile; forwardly disposed side walls secured at the ends of said pile; and forwardly disposed outer and inner walls and connecting together the outer ends and the inner ends respectively of said side and partition walls and forming a forwardly and rearwardly open forwardly disposed box-shaped compressor box forward of said pile.

13. ln combination, a horizontal rotary axle; opposite approximately' radial arms secured to said axle; means for securing a pile of spaced pieces of lumber against said arms; forwardly disposed partition walls secured forward of said arms; forwardly disposed side walls secured at the ends of said axle; and a forwardly and rearwardly open forwardly disposed box-shaped com-y pressor formed into compartments secured forward of said pile.

ld. ln combination, a horizontal rotary axle; opposite approximately radial T-arms secured to said axle and having forward webs; means for securing a pileof spaced pieces of lumber against the rear face of said arms; angle plates secured on the ends of said axle; forwardly disposed side walls secured to the angleplates; forwardly disposed intermediate partition wallsv secured to the forward web' of said arms; horizon tally and forwardly disposed inner walls secured to the inner ends of said side and partition walls; and horizontally and for-r wardly disposed outer walls connecting and secured to the outer ends of said side and partition walls thereby to form with said side, partition andend walls aforwardly disposed box-shaped compressor.

l5. ln combination, a rotary axle; arms secured to said axle; and means for securing a pile of spaced pieces of lumber against said arms.

16. In combination, ahorizontal rotary axle; approximately radial arms secured to said axle; and means for securing a pile of lumber against said arms.

17.111 combination, a rotary axle; approximately radial arms secured on said axle and provided with shoulder forming portions; strain rods pivotally connected to each of said portions and adapted to be disposed parallel to the adjacent arm; and

a clamping means on the outer lend of said arms and rods. l

18. In combination, a horizontal rotary axle; pairs of oppositely projecting arms secured at intervals on said axle and `having' angle ends engaging said axle; strain rods pivotally linked to said angle ends and adapted to be normally disposed parallel to and in the direction of an arm having threaded outer ends; a stud bolt mounted on the outer end of each of said arms even with said threaded onter end; and 'clamping means received on the outer end of said bolts and rods.

19. In combination, a horizontal rotary axle; pairs of L-shaped T-arnis secured at intervals on said axle with the 'web forward and their inner end portions' and angle ends engaging said axle and their arms parallel and projecting in approximately radially opposite directions; U-bolts passing through said axle and engaging said angle-ends and the arms and clamping said arms in place; strain rods pivotally linked to each of said arms at the angle thereof and normally adapted to rbe disposed parallel to and in the direction of the opposite arms of the same pair having threaded outer ends; a stud bolt mounted on the outer end of each of said arms even with said threaded outer end; a clamping yoke received on the outer end of said bolts and rods; and nuts on said outer ends for holding said yoke in place and causing the latter to clamp a pile of pieces of material against said angle ends and therebyvto hold the pieces in place between the arm and strain rod.

20. In combination; a horizontal rotary axle; opposite approximately radial T-arms secured to said axle and having flanges at their rear part; mea-ns for securing a pile of spaced pieces of lumber against the rear face of said arms; spacing pieces provided with inwardly pointed forked ends adapted to slidably engage the flanges of said T-arms and adapted to be placed between the individual pieces of said lumber horizontally disposed with their edges disposed against the rear faces of said T-arms; and a forwardly and rearwardly open forwardly disposed box-shaped, compressor box secured to saidarms forward of said pile.

2l. In combination, a pair of foundations; a standard 'on each foundation; a bearing on each standard; a squared horizontal axle between -said standards; a gudgeon comprising a horizontal stub shaft rotatably mounted in eaichpof said bearings and provided at its inner end with a squared box receiving the end of said axle and sup`- porting the axle; opposite approximately radial arms rsecured to `said axle; means for securing a pile of spaced' pieces against the rear face of said arms; a forwardly and rearwardly open forwardly disposed boxshaped compressor secured to said arms forward of 'said' pile; a drive `pulley on one of said sli'afts and a braking pulley on the other; a motor for drivin-g said drive pulley; an'da-brakelhand lever having an intermediate pulleyengaging shoe, and its inner end fulcru'med to the adjacent standard.

2 2. In a lumber drier, the combination with a horizontally rotatable axle, of radial arms secured in said axle, spacing means on said arms for retaining lumber, and a plurality of projections attached to and forward of said arms whereby to allow the rair to pass between said projections and through said lumber on the arms upon rotation of said axle.

23. In a rotary drier, the 'combination with a horizontally rotatable axle, of 'a plurality of radial arms secured to said axle, spacing members attachable to said arms, said members serving to 'support lengths of lumber thereon and a plurality of flat members projecting p'erpeiidicularly along the length of the arms and forward of said arms, forr'cau'sing compression and passage of air between said projections, as the axle is rotated.

24. In a rotary drier, the combination with a plurality of radial arms movable about a common center, an lopen lcompresser box attached to and forward of said arms, and means for rotating said arms whereby to cause compression and passage of air through the lumber supported on said arms.

JAMES A. CRAIG. 

